Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device, particularly for the display of music titles in a jukebox includes a frame housing, two juxtaposed stacks of information carriers arranged vertically one behind the other, with a front information carrier of a first one of the stacks of information carriers and a rear information carrier of a second one of the stacks of information carriers being simultaneously displaceable by a displacing mechanism relative to one another toward the respective other stack of information carriers. In order to displace the respective front and rear information carriers, the two stacks of information carriers are movable by the displacing mechanism relative to one another in synchronized steps and offset by the thickness of an information carrier. The direction of movement of the movable and displaceable information carriers is reversible by a reversing mechanism. The information carriers of each stack of information carriers are supported at edges thereof in the threads of threaded spindles. The threaded spindles of one stack of information carriers is driven in an opposite direction but in synchronism with threaded spindles of the other stack of information carriers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a display device, particularly for the displayof music titles in a jukebox.

2. Background of the Invention

Jukeboxes offer the user a large number of musical selections, usuallyin the order of magnitude of several hundred individual musiccompositions, with presently, for example, up to twenty musiccompositions being stored on a single compact disc record. The possibleselections are usually displayed on a program listing in the form of adisplay from which the user is able to input, after the insertion of anappropriate amount of money into the jukebox, by way of a keyboardleading to the selection system of the jukebox, the code for his desiredselection with respect to one or several music pieces and to thusinitiate the playback process. The display of a large selection of musictitles thus requires a relatively large viewing area.

German Patent 2,307,309 already discloses a display device for a jukeboxincluding a plurality of superposed parallel polygonal drums that arerotatable about axial shaft stubs and are each equipped with a pluralityof essentially planar viewing surfaces and with holding elements forholding a strip card carrying a visually readable display. The polygonaldrums are coupled with a drive which, when actuated, rotates allpolygonal drums simultaneously about the same angular path so that adifferent viewing surface of each polygonal drum is turned into theviewing position. To enlarge the program offerings, a plurality of suchdisplay devices may be arranged next to one another. Although it ispossible to enlarge the program offering in this way, this can be doneonly to a certain degree since, for example, if more than one thousandmusic titles are available, the space requirement for the polygonaldrums becomes too great. Moreover, the drives for the individualpolygonal drums are relatively susceptible to malfunction which leads tofrequent malfunction of the display device.

Additionally, German Patent 2,044,028 discloses a device for displayingmusic titles in a jukebox equipped with a series of flat informationcarriers that are arranged one behind the other on an endless conveyorand are pivotal about a transverse axis so as to be inscribed on bothsides. During their rotation, the information carriers can be movedwithin a guide equipped with interior and exterior guide walls past ahousing window. In order to automatically pivot the information carriersabout 180°, a turning device is provided which is disposed at one pointin the path of revolution of the information carriers where the guide isinterrupted- The endless conveyor with the information carriers can bemanually moved as required in opposite directions of rotation, with theinformation carriers being pivoted independently of their direction ofrotation. Such a device as well, if it is designed for the display of avery large number of music titles, requires a relatively largeinstallation space and is additionally extremely subject to malfunctiondue to its complicated structure.

Finally, DE 3,737,585.A1 discloses a display device for a coin-operatedjukebox in which the display device is configured as an externallyswitchable flip card carousel whose flip cards are each inscribed withthe music titles on their front and back faces, with the flip cardsbeing pivotally mounted on a flip card holder that is rotatable in onlyone direction by means of a drive member so that, whenever they pass bya tab that is fixed to the housing, they flip from a position in whichtheir frontal face is displayed to a position in which their rear faceis displayed. Although a plurality of music titles can be displayed oneach flip stubs and are each equipped with a plurality of essentiallyplanar viewing surfaces and with holding elements for holding a stripcard carrying a visually readable display. The polygonal drums arecoupled with a drive which, when actuated, rotates all polygonal drumssimultaneously about the same angular path so that a different viewingsurface of each polygonal drum is turned into the viewing position. Toenlarge the program offerings, a plurality of such display devices maybe arranged next to one another. Although it is possible to enlarge theprogram offering in this way, this can be done only to a certain degreesince, for example, if more than one thousand music titles areavailable, the space requirement for the polygonal drums becomes toogreat. Moreover, the drives for the individual polygonal drums arerelatively susceptible to malfunction which leads to frequentmalfunction of the display device.

Additionally, German Patent 2,044,028 discloses a device for displayingmusic titles in a jukebox equipped with a series of flat informationcarriers that are arranged one behind the other on an endless conveyorand are pivotal about a transverse axis so as to be inscribed on bothsides. During their rotation, the information carriers can be movedwithin a guide equipped with interior and exterior guide walls past acard, the flip card carousel as a whole, due to the rotational movementof the individual flip cards about the flip card holder, requires acomparatively deep installation space. Moreover, when passing the tabattached to the housing, the flip cards are subject to increased wearwhich may lead to the malfunction of the flip card carousel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to create a display device of theabove-mentioned type which, with a small structural volume and a simpleconfiguration, provides for the display of a very large amount ofinformation.

This is accomplished by the invention in that

two juxtaposed stacks of information carriers arranged vertically onebehind the other are disposed in a frame housing, with the frontal facesof the information carriers being configured as display surfaces;

the two stacks are movable relative to one another in synchronous stepsoffset by the thickness of one information carrier;

the front information carrier of the one stack and the rear informationcarrier of the other stack in the offset stack arrangement, aresimultaneously displaceable toward the respective other stack; and

the direction of rotation of the movable and displaceable informationcarriers is reversible.

With these measures there results an extremely compact display devicethat requires only a relatively small installation space, wherein thetransport of the individual information carriers into the viewingdirection of the viewer takes place practically within the spacerequirement of the two juxtaposed information carrier stacks. A largeamount of information can be accommodated on the frontal faces of thestacks of information carriers to make the information accessible to theviewer. Moreover, the reversal of the direction of rotation of theinformation carriers can quickly return information that has just movedpast the viewer back into the viewer's viewing field. Therefore, thisdisplay device is particularly suitable for the offering and selectionof music titles in a jukebox. Moreover, any desired installationposition is possible for the display device. Additionally, a pluralityof display devices can be combined into a structural unit withoutgreater engineering expenditures in order to enlarge the informationoffering.

In order to realize easy displaceability of the information carrierstacks, an advantageous feature of the invention provides that the edgesof the information carriers of each stack are mounted in the threads ofthreaded spindles, with the threaded spindles of the one stack beingdriven in synchronism with, but in the opposite direction to, thethreaded spindles of the other stack. Advisably, each informationcarrier stack has four associated threaded spindles which are arrangedin pairs opposite one another and are mounted in the upper and lowertransverse carriers of the frame rack.

In order to realize an accurate, slip-free drive for the threadedspindles, the threaded spindles are provided, according to anadvantageous modification of the invention, with a toothed wheel whichprojects on the spindle axis beyond the rear wall of the frame housingand rotates with it, and the toothed wheels of the threaded spindlesbelonging to one information carrier stack mesh jointly with a largetoothed wheel, with one of the two meshing large toothed wheels beingcoupled by way of gears with a reversible-rotation drive motor.

In an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, the driven largetoothed wheel drives two discs that are each connected so as to rotatewith a toothed wheel and their edges move in the forks of associatedfork couplers that generate positioning pulses, with their markingnotches being offset by 180° relative to one another. Thus, thereresults a favorable monitoring of the offset and the flush positions ofthe information carrier stacks relative to one another.

In order to ensure reliable transfer of the information carriers fromthe one stack to the other stack, the information carrier stacks, in afurther feature of the solution according to the invention, have twoassociated diametrally oppositely disposed carriers, of which the oneengages into a carrying opening of the front information carrier of theone stack and the other into a carrying opening of the rear informationcarrier of the other stack, if the stacks are in an offset arrangement,and the carriers are movable in opposite directions and in synchronismalong the two stacks by means of a displacement device.

In order to realize a reliably operating displacement device for the twocarriers, the displacement device according to a modification of theinvention includes two belt drives disposed in the region of the lowertransverse carriers of the frame housing which are driven by way of ajoint connecting shaft that is coupled by way of a gear assembly with areversible-rotation drive motor, with the front carrier being fastenedto an upper run and the rear carrier to a lower run of a respective beltdrive.

In order to monitor end positions of the front carrier, the latter ispreferably provided with an angled tab which, in the end positions of acarrier displacement path, drops into the fork of correspondinglyarranged fork couplers that generate a position pulse.

In order for it to be possible to easily exchange the offeredinformation in a jukebox, a further feature of the invention providesthat the frontal face of each information carrier is provided withholding elements for the attachment of a cover and a music titleinformation strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The concept on which the invention is based will be defined in greaterdetail in the description below with reference to an embodiment that isillustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a display device for ajukebox;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the display device according to FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the display device according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The display device includes a frame housing 1 in which two stacks 3formed of information carriers 2 are arranged next to one another at thesame height. Of each stack 3 formed of the same number of informationcarriers 2, FIG. 1 shows only the respective front and rear informationcarrier 2. The plate-shaped information carriers 2 of each stack 3 arearranged vertically one behind the other and their upper edges 4 andlower edges 5 are held in the threads of pairs of oppositely disposedthreaded spindles 6. Thus each information carrier stack 2 is supportedbetween four threaded spindles 6 two of which are mounted in the uppertransverse carriers 7 and two in the lower transverse carriers 8 offrame housing 1. The shafts 9 of threaded spindles 6 project beyond therear wall 10 of frame housing 1 and here each carry a relatively smalltoothed wheel 11 that rotates with them. The four toothed wheels 11belonging to the threaded spindles 6 of an information carrier stack 3mesh jointly with a large toothed wheel 12 that is mounted on a shaft 13fastened to rear wall 10. The two large toothed wheels 12 mesh with oneanother so that the direction of rotation of the threaded spindles 6 ofthe one information carrier stack 3 is opposite to the direction ofrotation of the threaded spindles 6 of the other information carrierstack 3. In the plane of the shafts 13 of the large toothed wheels 12,the one large toothed wheel 12 is in engagement with a toothed drivegear 14 that is a part of a gear assembly 16 that is coupled with areversible rotation drive motor 15. The drive gear 14 mounted on a shaft17 that is fastened to rear wall 10 meshes with a toothed wheel 18 thatis connected and rotates with a worm wheel 19. Toothed wheel 18 and wormwheel 19 are mounted on a shaft 20 which is accommodated in a holder 22that is attached to the exterior of side wall 21. A worm 23 that isconnected with the shaft of drive motor 15 is in communication with wormwheel 19. The free end of worm 23 is supported at a bearing 24 that isattached to holder 22, while drive motor 15 is fastened to a carryingarm 25 that emanates from side wall 21.

In dependence on the charging of drive motor 15, the information carrierstacks 3 can be moved either into a position in which the informationcarriers 2 of both stacks 3 are precisely flush with one another or intoa position in which the information carriers 2 of both stacks are offsetrelative to one another by the thickness of an information carrier 2.Two fork couplers 26 which are connected with a switching device in thedisplay device serve to monitor these two stack positions. The edge of adisc 27 engages in the forks of each fork coupler, with the two discs 27being provided with marking notches 28 that are offset by 180° relativeto one another. Each disc 27 is connected and rotates with a toothedwheel 29 which meshes with the driven large toothed wheel 12 and ismounted together with disc 27 on a shaft 30 fastened to rear wall 10.The flush stack arrangement is taken up in order to offer the viewer aplanar viewing surface including of the frontal faces 31 of the frontinformation carriers 2. The frontal face 31 of each information carrier2 is provided with holding elements 32 that are attached in acorresponding arrangement for accommodating a cover 33 and a music titleinformation strip 34 whose music titles are each associated with acertain code for the input into a selection keyboard of the jukebox.

The offset stack arrangement permits the simultaneous displacement ofthe front information carrier 2 of the one stack 3 and the rearinformation carrier 2 of the other stack 3 toward the respective otherstack. For this purpose, all information carriers 2 are provided in thecenter of their lower edges 5 with a carrying opening 35 and twodiametrally oppositely disposed carriers 36 and 37 are associated withinformation carrier stacks 3. In the offset stack arrangement, the frontcarrier 36 engages in the carrying opening 35 of the front informationcarrier 2 of the one stack 3 and the rear carrier 37 engages in thecarrying opening 35 of the rear information carrier 2 of the other stack3. By way of a displacement device 38, the two carriers 36 and 37 can bemoved in synchronism but in the opposite directions, that is, carriers36 and 37 are able to simultaneously transport the front informationcarrier of one stack 3 and the rear information carrier 2 of the otherstack 3 to the respective other stack 3. Thereafter, appropriateactuation of drive motor 15 permits the flush stack arrangement to betaken up again. In order to monitor the end positions of carriers 36 and37, the front carrier 36 is provided with an angled tab 39 which, in theend positions of the carrier displacement path, drops into the fork ofappropriately arranged fork couplers 40 and 41 which give a positionpulse to the switching device.

The front carrier 36 is fastened to the upper run 42 of a belt drive 43and the rear carrier 37 is fastened to the lower run of a belt drive 44.The reversal rollers 45 of the two belt drives 43 and 44 are supportedon shafts 46 that are attached to the lower transverse carriers 8, whilethe drive rollers 47 are disposed on and rotate with a common connectingshaft 48. Connecting shaft 48 is mounted in a U-shaped holder 49 that isattached on the exterior of side wall 21. In its center, connectingshaft 48 accommodates the worm wheel 50 of a worm gear 51 in arotationally secure arrangement. Worm 52, which meshes with worm gear 50is coupled with the shaft of a reversible-rotation drive motor 53. Bychanging the direction of rotation of drive motor 53, a change resultsin the direction of movement of carriers 36 and 37 so that informationcarriers 2 can be exchanged between the stacks 3 in both directions independence on the direction of rotation of threaded spindles 6.

The above description of the drawings describes the details of theparticularly simple and conveniently operated structure of the displaydevice for a jukebox, a device that despite of its simplicity andcompactness has been found to be extremely reliable. Although theinvention was described only for one embodiment, modifications of thesolution according to the invention that become evident from thisdescription and lie within the scope of the claims are obvious for theperson skilled in the art.

We claim:
 1. A display device, particularly for the display of musictitles in a jukebox including:a frame housing, two juxtaposed stacks ofmovable and displaceable information carriers arranged vertically onebehind the other, each of the information carriers having a thickness,.displacing means for simultaneously displacing a front informationcarrier of a first one of the stacks of information carriers and a rearinformation carrier of a second one of the stacks of informationcarriers relative to one another toward the respective other stack ofinformation carriers, wherein, in order to displace the respective frontand rear information carriers, the two stacks of information carriersare movable by the displacing means relative to one another insynchronized steps and offset by the thickness of an informationcarrier,reversing means for reversing a direction of movement of themovable and displaceable information carriers, threaded spindles havingthreads for supporting the information carriers of each stack ofinformation carriers at edges thereof, and wherein threaded spindles ofone stack of information carriers is driven in an opposite direction butin synchronism with threaded spindles of the other stack of informationcarriers.
 2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the framehousing further comprises upper and lower transverse carriers,andwherein each stack of information carriers has four of said threadedspindles associated therewith, which are mounted in oppositely arrangedpairs in the upper and lower transverse carriers of the frame housing.3. A display device according to claim 2, wherein said threaded spindleseach comprise a shaft projecting beyond a rear wall of the framehousing;wherein the threaded spindles are each provided with a toothedwheel that rotates with them; wherein each said toothed wheel of thethreaded spindles belonging to a respective stack of informationcarriers each mesh jointly with a respective one of two mutuallyengaging large toothed wheels; and wherein one of the two mutuallyengaging large toothed wheels is driven by a gear assembly and saiddisplacing means includes a drive motor.
 4. A display device accordingto claim 3, wherein the driven large toothed wheel drives twodiscs,wherein the two discs are each connected to rotate with the drivenlarge toothed wheel by a respective further toothed wheel, wherein thetwo discs move with edges thereof in forks of associated respective forkcouplers that generate positioning pulses, and wherein the two discshave marking notches offset by 180° relative to one another.
 5. Adisplay device according to claim 4, further comprising two diametrallyopposed carriers associated with the stacks of informationcarrierswherein one of the two diametrally opposed carriers engages in acarrying opening in a front information carrier of one stack ofinformation carriers and the other of the two diametrally opposedcarriers engages in a carrying opening in a rear information carrier ofthe other stack of information carriers, if the stack arrangement isoffset; and wherein the two diametrally opposed carriers are movableopposite to one another but in synchronism along the two stacks ofinformation carriers by means of a displacement device.
 6. A displaydevice according to claim 5, wherein the displacement device includestwo belt drives that are disposed in region of the lower transversecarriers of the frame housing and driven by a common connecting shaftthat is coupled by way of a gear assembly with a reversible-rotationdrive motor, a front one of the two diametrally opposed carriers beingfastened to an upper run and a rear one of the two diametrally opposedcarriers to a lower run of a corresponding one of the two belt drives.7. A display device according to claim 6, wherein the front one of thetwo diametrally opposed carriers is provided with an angled tab which,in end positions of a carrier displacement path, drops into the fork ofcorrespondingly arranged fork couplers that output position pulses.
 8. Adisplay device according to claim 1, wherein each information carrier isprovided on a respective frontal face thereof with holding elements foraccommodating a cover and a music title information strip.